Skirwith Cave

Skirwith Cave is a cave on the slopes of Ingleborough in Chapel-le-Dale, close to Ingleton in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, North Yorkshire. It operated as a tourist attraction in the 1960s and early 1970s. It is now closed to the public, though experienced cavers still go underground here. For most travellers it is a curiosity to note on the way to White Scar Caves or up Ingleborough rather than a place to visit.

What kind of cave is it?

Skirwith is a resurgence, meaning underground water emerges here to reach the surface. It formed as limestone dissolved over time. The cave lies within the Ingleborough Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Surveyed length is quoted at anywhere between roughly 770 m and 1,000 m, depending on the source.

What is it like inside?

The present entrance is a shakehole that drops into a decorated rift passage, once part of the show cave route. Beyond it come a boulder choke and a five-metre waterfall, followed by a long passage that is mostly low and wet. After several hundred metres it reaches a series of sumps. Three short ones are separated by brief stretches of passage, and the fourth has been dived for about 24 m to an underwater boulder choke. The cave trends up the dip to the north-east, towards the valley of Crina Bottom, and part of its continuation has been entered from Lower Hardgill Pot, about 400 m away.

What is its history?

Local people first entered the cave in 1934, and by 1947 it had been explored as far as the first sump. It opened as a show cave in the mid-1960s (sources give either 1964 or Easter 1965). Members of the Happy Wanderers Cave and Pothole Club dived the sumps in 1965 and 1966. The show cave closed in 1974, reportedly because of rockfall danger. Ruined buildings, an overgrown access road and the old car park are all that remain of the attraction.

Can you visit?

Casual visitors cannot go in. The cave is graded III, with water and loose boulders as the main hazards. Entry needs the landowner's permission, and groups are expected to give written notice at least a week ahead. Trips are normally arranged through caving clubs such as the Craven Pothole Club, and the British Caving Association publishes guidance on safe and responsible caving.

What else is nearby?

The cave stands beside the road towards Hawes, just before White Scar Caves, which is a working show cave. Paths up Ingleborough, one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks, start close by, and Ingleton has its own Waterfalls Trail. The Ribblehead Viaduct is a short drive away.

Frequently asked questions

Is Skirwith Cave open to tourists? No. It ran as a show cave until 1974 and has been closed to visitors since then.

Can a beginner go into Skirwith Cave? It is not a good choice. The cave is wet, has sumps and unstable boulders, and entry requires permission from the landowner.

Where is Skirwith Cave? On Ingleborough in Chapel-le-Dale, a few kilometres from Ingleton, inside the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Which show cave can I visit instead? White Scar Caves, on the same road, is the nearest. Ingleborough Cave in the Clapham area is another option.